The more cool air you lose, the harder your air conditioning unit works and the higher your electricity bill will be. Install blinds, hang curtains or get storm windows made to keep cool air from seeping out. Even mesh screens, on the outside of your home, will help deflect solar radiation. You might even consider replacing old windows that leak cold air and let in heat.

Price, of course. Prices are expressed in cents/kilowatt hour. Plan types include fixed rates and variable rates. Fixed rates offer consistency throughout the plan term, which can run from six to 36 months. Variable rates can change monthly - they're great when prices go down, but not-so-great when they don't. Finally, if you care about your carbon footprint, you may choose a plan sourced by solar or wind energy.

Minimum Usage Fees: Often set at or around 1,000 kWh/month, these fees mean you’ll always pay for at least that amount — even if you only use, say, 800 kWh of electricity some months. It sounds nasty, but it’s only something to be concerned about if your electricity bills historically show you hover right around that minimum use threshold. If you’re electricity use always exceeds that amount, it’s like it’s not even there.

Yes, we're the best at comparing energy prices, but don't just take our word for it. Since 2006 uSwitch has been fully accredited by the Ofgem Confidence Code. With many energy comparison sites to choose from, uSwitch has been one of the longest standing signatories to the Ofgem code, and a primary contributor to achieving gas and electricity pricing transparency.
SFE Energy is a division of a multi-million dollar international corporation that services hundreds of thousands of electricity, natural gas, and home services customers across the Northeastern United States and Canada. SFE Energy’s parent company, Summitt Energy, opened its doors in 2006, thriving in one of the most competitive and highly regulated energy markets in North America. SFE Energy is a leading competitive supplier of electricity & natural gas for homes and businesses, and one of the largest privately-held retail energy companies in North America.
Texas deregulated most of the state's electricity markets in 2002, a move aimed at lowering electricity costs by letting consumers choose their own electric power providers and their own plans. Some parts of Texas continued to be regulated, including those whose power is proved by municipally-owned utilities, electric cooperatives and investor-owned utilities that operate outside the state's primary power grid.
XOOM Energy, LLC through its family of companies is an independent retail electricity, renewable and natural gas provider in over 90 deregulated markets across the U.S. XOOM Energy’s family of companies includes: "XOOM Energy California, LLC", "XOOM Energy Connecticut, LLC, "XOOM Energy Delaware, LLC", "XOOM Energy Washington D.C., LLC", "XOOM Energy Georgia, LLC", "XOOM Energy Illinois, LLC", "XOOM Energy Indiana, LLC", "XOOM Energy Kentucky, LLC", "XOOM Energy Maine, LLC", "XOOM Energy Maryland, LLC", "XOOM Energy Massachusetts, LLC", "XOOM Energy Michigan, LLC", "XOOM Energy New Hampshire, LLC", "XOOM Energy New Jersey, LLC", "XOOM Energy New York, LLC", "XOOM Energy Ohio, LLC", "XOOM Energy Pennsylvania, LLC", "XOOM Energy Rhode Island, LLC", "XOOM Energy Texas, LLC", And "XOOM Energy Virginia, LLC" (hereinafter collectively "XOOM Energy") and offers electricity, renewable and/or natural gas products In each of their respective states. We are not affiliated with, nor endorsed by, any local utility or state commission.
Some good news: According to J.D. Power’s 2016 survey on retail electric providers (its most current survey of the space), Texas has the highest overall satisfaction with retail electric providers out of any state. And because rates, plans, and offers can be so similar from provider to provider, customer satisfaction scores are a great way to break a tie. Think of it like choosing who to hire when you have two candidates with similar resumes — you’re going to pick the person with the glowing references.
Although conventional long-term contracts may offer you very low kilowatt-hour prices, these contracts also impose many obligations and hefty penalties for non-compliance. No deposit electric plans tend to have a slightly higher energy price that long-term contracts, but allow more freedom in how you pay for your electricity. The most relevant differences between no deposit electricity plans and conventional contracts are summarized in the following table:

It’s very important to do your own research to understand the business focus of the company you are considering, as well as tax advantages (and possible disadvantages) if the company is a limited partnership. For example, Seadrill Ltd. SDRL, -4.77% provides offshore-drilling services worldwide. Seadrill Partners LLC SDLP, -3.52% operates offshore-drilling rigs under specific contracts with several major oil companies, including Exxon Mobil Corp. XOM, -2.78% and Chevron Corp. CVX, -2.81%

You can sort, filter, and shop by pricing at YOUR specific usage level, which lets you shop and compare electricity plans based on the rates you’ll actually experience on your bill, inclusive of hidden fees and taxes. This ensures you’re not misled by the cheaper rates often advertised by electric providers…those “teaser rates” associated with higher usage levels that many households never enjoy because their usage level never reaches that pricing tier.